


Walking The Wire

by rainandthunder



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Romance, bughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-10
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 01:50:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12048822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainandthunder/pseuds/rainandthunder
Summary: Jughead left Betty all those years ago for the reason of protecting her from his own demons. Life does not wait for anyone so is it finally safe for Jughead to cross paths with Betty again or had Jughead been deceived all those years ago.





	1. Nightmares

Chapter One – Nightmares

There's nights we had that just walk away  
And there's tears we'll cry, but those tears will fade  
It's the price we pay when it comes to love  
And we'll take what comes, take what comes

Betty was sitting across from him at that oh so familiar tiny two person table located in the Jones’s trailer home. She is circling her thumb along the rigged side of the oak table where a nail has been driven into for reasons she never knew. She remembers the habit started the first time she sat here. The first time Jughead Jones had opened up his home life to her and brought her over. He was so nervous that day as she could tell by the fact he had a hard time keeping eye contact with her. She had started circling that nail to stop herself from reaching over the table to caress the dark haired boys face to try to calm his nerves but Betty knew better to let him catch his breath and open up to her at his own pace.

This time though was different. It was like everything was frozen. It was like Betty was watching from somewhere else and time was at a standstill except it was not because things were happening before her eyes. Jughead had just lunged across the table and swatted her glass of water out of her hands. They were shouting at each other almost matching the rage of the thunder outside. Betty couldn’t stop it though she could only see the fight emerge into Jughead breaking her heart as the lightning flashes outside. She feels so many emotions but has no control and then everything goes black except she still hears noises. She hears one single gunshot go off. She hears Jughead scream in pain in ways she never thought possible. She hears windows shattering and the wind screeching with no empathy for the events that just unfolded. She hears things with such intensity. It’s as if she has gone blind and her hearing is overbearing to compensate for the loss of the sense of sight. The worst part still being Betty has not control. Or maybe was it that this was the last time she saw him before he mysteriously walked out of her life without even so much as an explanation why.

“Betty, Betty, BETTY” 

Betty felt two warm hands gently around her shoulders.

“Betty you were shouting in your sleep and you look like you just saw a ghost!” 

She opened her eyes and could see her best friend hovering over with a look of concern on her face. Betty couldn’t tell Veronica that she felt like she did just see a ghost in the form of Jughead Jones.

“I’m fine V. Just a bad dream. I’m sorry if I woke you.”  
There was no way that Betty could tell Veronica that this sort of “bad dream” happened more than she would like to admit so she plastered on one of her I am really okay smiles that she had perfected over the years. Veronica furrowed her brows at her and Betty know that Veronica wasn’t buying her story. They had been best friends ever since that day that Veronica Lodge had stuck up for her when Cheryl Blossom was trying out one of her new bullying antics on Betty. That was five years ago. How much has changed in five years……

Betty had gotten lost in her own thoughts and Veronica was still holding onto her shoulders.

“Okay if you say so.” Veronica knew better than too push too much out of Betty. Something she had learned over the past five years and honestly Betty was appreciative of this because Veronica knew when Betty was ready to talk she would.

“What time is it anways?”

“It’s 7am and you know what that means my dear friend.” Veronicas tone had changed and she bounded up from the edge of Bettys bed with a sparkle in her eye. “Time for our morning yoga!”

Betty let out a little groan but she knew there was no way for her to get out of this. It was something new the girls were doing every morning when they could. Betty thought Veronica secretly getting them do it because she thought it would help with staying calm and finding her “inner zen” has Veronica liked to call it but Betty didn’t mind. It kind of did help and plus it was a way for her to spend some time with Veronica as she had Archie.

It made Bettys stomach drop a bit. Thinking about how happy Archie and Veronica were together. Not that she was jealous in any way possible. She was beyond happy for them. It made her happy to know that people can find each other and stay together. They had been together since senior year of high school, five years. But thinking about five years ago and the love between Veronica and Archie only made her think even more about the ghost she had just seen in her dream except it wasn’t a nightmare because that was a nightmare that Betty couldn’t escape.

 

“Whew B. Do you think if I tell Archie I practised some downward dog poses today he’ll come home faster?”

Betty couldn’t help but laugh at her best friend. Archie was currently in Long Island meeting up with his producer to cut a new track. He had followed his dream after college and was on the breakthrough of getting his music out to the world. The two girls couldn’t have been more proud of him and Betty knew even though Long Island was only a little more than an hour away that the time apart was hard on Veronica.

“Don’t worry V, he is going to be home in two days and you guys can practice all the downward dog possess you want”  
The two girls laughed and Veronica linked her arm around Bettys and they continued on their walk back to their apartment in New York. It was moments like this that Betty really appreciated her friendship with Veronica and all the sights the New York streets had to offer. The hustle and the bustle always seemed to keep Betty at ease. Maybe it was because she could see that other people had many thoughts on their minds too when she could see them scrambling to catch the next taxi or the sound of the traffic buzzing in her ear. Betty was taking in all in as they strolled along until they passed by a local magazine shop and low and behold who was on the cover of the magazine that was on the main display in the window.

Veronica noticed it too and she quickly picked up their pace and just like that his face was out of their sights.

“You okay B?”

Betty didn’t know if she would ever be okay at the sound of his name or the shine of his blue eyes that made her feel electric even though it was just a picture that had been staring at her. Her thoughts quickly turned into anger and she could feel herself wanting to open old wounds that were hiding on the palms of her hands but she took a deep breath and focused on the buzzing traffic.

“It was a long time ago. I can’t let him get to me anymore.” Betty spoke these words as if she was trying to convince herself that would even be possible. Veronica gave her a sympathetic smile and quickly changed the subject to the new shoes she had helped design that were getting shipped to her store this week.

Betty tried to engage herself into the conversation to try to distract herself but couldn’t get those blue eyes out of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first post! Please know that the chapters will get longer and less blocky. I just wanted to get these first two out and let the ball roll from here!


	2. Photographs

How did it come to this  
Oh  
Love is a polaroid  
Better in picture  
But never can fill the void

Betty was sitting at her desk at The Register. She had followed her dreams after college as well and started up the New York version of The Register from her hometown in Riverdale. Of course her parents had helped her start it up and the strain of that first year was overwhelming on her and the relationship with her parents. She always felt like she was forever indebted to her parents for The Registers success and unfortunately they never let her forget it even though she had put in all the work. Thank goodness her parents still lived in Riverdale and she only had to see them on holidays.

Betty was deep in thought again. She couldn’t get that magazine out of her head. The way he was slouched against that desk which she presumed had to be in his own personal studio. It brought her back to the days when he would be slouched against a booth in Pops with him flirting with her from across the table with his beanie on his head. 

That stupid beanie Betty thought. He was wearing it in the magazine cover too and it still couldn’t hold back his full head of hair as a strand of dark curly hair was peering out from under it. Oh how she wanted so badly to go back to the news stand and buy one of the magazines. The real question was did Betty want to tear that cover into a million tiny pieces like her heart had once been shattered. Or did she want to keep in and lock that picture up in her mind forever to keep remembering since who knew if she would ever see him again.

He looked good. Really good. Even though it was weird to see him in front of the camera instead of behind it but I guess when you are being labeled as the next big photographer in LA that you got some camera time as well. 

Betty remembered when he used to take pictures of her. She would dress in that flowy black dress that reminded her of a raven dancing in the yellow field of flowers they would go to. He called her his Muse. Not just for photography but for writing as well. She wondered if he still wrote.

“Here is my copy of that news article you asked for Betty. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to be on the cover this week!”

Betty’s thoughts were interrupted by the perky new journalist she had recently recruited. She gave the girl an encouraging pep talk and this was a part of the job she really did love because she felt like she was inspiring other young journalists to speak their mind. 

BING

Betty reached to grab her phone. She saw a text from Archie.

Betty! I’m coming home early to surprise Veronica. I have some awesome news and a plan I want to run by you. Can you meet at the coffee shop on 27th street after work?

She quickly replied letting Archie know to meet her there in a couple of hours. She and Archie had been close ever since she could remember. He was her next door neighbor and thankfully they had gotten past the fact that she had professed her love to him during freshmen year. Now she knew though that those feelings she had for Archie would never come close to the feelings she had felt when she was truly in love. 

Betty locked up the building and made her way to the three friends’ favourite coffee shop. It was a cute little shop on the corner of the street that had tables outside that they would sit at when it was nice out. It was a cool October night as she walked inside she slid into a booth at the back of the shop right next to the little stage that would have locals singing at every night. 

A black coffee for her and a hazelnut latte for Archie. Betty laughed to herself as Archie’s girly choice in drinks. She sat back down and five minutes later the red head had bounded in and Betty waved him down.

Archie was beaming. His smile was so genuine that Betty couldn’t help but get up and give him a hug.

“Betty! I have such great news. My producer loved the set of five songs I gave them and they want to sign me to their record label and make an EP with these songs!”

“That’s so exciting!” Betty was incredibly proud of him but at the same time she felt like there was more because why was he telling her this before Veronica.

Archie continued on. “It got me thinking, you and Veronica have supported me through everything and always been there for me. I was on could 9 after I got the news and it made me think about how I wanted to run home and tell her right away and always have Veronica there to share stuff like this with.”

Betty started to get excited for him. She felt like she knew where this was going.

“Veronica has been there for me through the hard times with my music, when my dad was sick and everything in between. I don’t think I can go one more night without making Veronica Lodge mine forever, do you think she is ready?”

Betty clapped her hands together and squealed. “Archie if you’re saying what I think you are saying I couldn’t be happier for you two and 100 percent think this is perfect timing for you two!”

The two continued to discuss Archie’s plans for the night. Betty was going to get Veronica to go over to Archie’s by saying that she had forgotten some work there as it wasn’t unusual for the three to be working on their own businesses together at Archie’s and the rest was up to Archie. They said goodbye and Betty made her way home.

Betty was ecstatic for her two friends. They deserved to be happy and even more importantly they deserved to be happy together. Betty got a little sad when she thought about the fact that Veronica would probably be moving out soon than and she didn’t know if she would want to keep such a big place for just the two of them. She felt her step turn into more of a skip and that was a good thing for her. Thinking about wedding prep and watching her two best friends get married. Betty actually felt herself forget about the photograph in the magazine she has seen earlier in the day.


	3. Inspiration

What are you holding on to?  
Yelling up at the stars above you  
It gets so lonely, you said,  
When you're the one and only

 

Jughead Jones sat behind his cherrywood desk with his feet perched up on top. He had just got into his studio and was already brain storming ideas for his upcoming shoot for adidas. He tucked a curl behind his hat and grabbed a pencil from behind his ear.

He glanced at the clock on the wall and noted the time to be 8:00 am sharp. It was also Monday morning which was a day that Jughead shamelessly looked forward to every week. Like clockwork the sound of combat boots could be heard outside his office.

"Jughead your Monday morning inspiration has arrived"

Calvin Carter trugged inside with a package under his arm. Jughead had met Calvin when he first moved to LA and the two quickly bonded over a burger and shake over film and burger knowledge. Calvin became Jugheads right hand man at the studio but Jughead had never dare share his past with him. Some things were better left untold.

"I still will never understand dude why you get a random paper couriered to you every week from all the way in New York. Have you ever even been to New York?"

Calvin never asked many questions and that was one reason why the two had got along so well. Jughead knew Calvin wasn't expecting a true answer to that question.

"Like you said man, some Monday morning inspiration"

Jughead gave him a small grin and Calvin just shoke his head at him.

"Whatever you say man. I hope you are ready for later today this one is gonna be a big shoot. I'll bring all the equipment and meet you later for the preshoot"

And with that Calvin was out of the office to tend to the many tasks Jughead had left him with yesterday to prepare for the shoot.

Jughead started to unravel the package that had been placed on his desk. He could feel his whole body tense up like it did every Monday morning. He got nervous every week and his hands always slightly shook as he carefully slid the paper out.

Jughead held the paper between his two hands. The words "The Register" were in bold letters at the top and they made him close his eyes and force himself to take a deep breath. Jughead opened his eyes and let them fall to the name underneath.

Betty Cooper

They made his heart drop in an instance. Every Monday morning Jughead would see those two words and his world would come crashing down before his eyes. A mixture of guilt and longing were only two words to describe how he felt when he saw them.

No one in LA would ever understand why Jughead needed to have this paper delivered. Hell he didn't even deserve to have the privilege to read the words written by her but it was the only thing he had left to feel a real live connection with her.

BING

Jugheads phone interrupted his reading. He glanced over to see a message from the one person who he still had any contact with from his past.

"Jug!!! I finally ripped off the band aid like you said and popped the question to Ronnie"

A wide grin appeared across Jugheads face. Archie had been going back and forth for the past couple months about how and when he was going to pop the question to his long time girlfriend. 

"Congrats man, proud of you. You'll have to spare me all the gushy details but I send my best wishes to you two"

After a couple more back and forth smart ass remarks to each other he got out of Archie that they had no plans for a wedding anytime soon. Jughead was okay with this because he didn't know if he would be able to attend. For several reasons.

Jughead and Archie had never lost touch once Jughead had fled Riverdale all those years ago. Archie was his best friend and had stuck by his side through everything.

Archie was always there for Jughead. When his dad had one too many drinks when they were kids Archie and his dad always took care of Jughead. When he didn't fit in at school because he wore a beanie everyday and didn't fit the preppy dress code Archie was there. When Jughead was encountering his darkest days Archie was there and keeping in touch was important to Jughead.

He was really happy for Archie and Veronica. Veronica knew that Archie and him were still in touch but he was pretty sure Veronica wanted nothing to do with Jughead but respected Archie enough to know the value of their friendship.

He couldn't blame Veronica for hating him. He had broken her best friends heart many moons ago and she wasn't the one who had to clean up the mess he had left behind. He was pretty sure Veronica didn't want to know about anything because that would mean having to hide stuff from her best friend. It killed him that he couldn't explain why he had done what he had done but it was for the well being of everyone.

This was one of the reasons why Archie and him has still been so close. Archie knew enough about Jugheads past that he accepted why Jughead had left. It took some time for Archie to forgive Jughead for how he had left. He didn't agree with how Jughead had broke that blond haired girls heart that night but he did learn to understand the means.

Jughead spun around in his chair. Behind his desk hung one of the first photos he had taken. He stared at the photo and took in every detail that hung before his eyes. Her blond hair was flowing behind her shoulders not up in the usual neat and tidy ponytail. Her green eyes had so much promise and brilliance in them as they stared at him that day. The wind was blowing and made her dress flow in a way that made her look like she was a masterpiece among the golden field she was running through.

No one ever asked Jughead who the girl was in the picture. He always just said he hung it their to remind himself of where he started since it was one of his first photographs. If only they knew the significance behind it. If only Jughead could have told the truth that night to her.


	4. Perfect

Falling a thousand feet per second,   
You still take me by surprise.  
I just know we can't be over,  
I can see it in your eyes.

Betty was lying on her perfectly made bed after a night of drinking wine and jumping on couches. Veronica had come bouncing through the door the next morning after Betty had met with Archie to share the good news with her.

She had never seen Veronica look so happy before. She looked like a kid in a candy store, or in Veronica's case a kid in a shoe store on Boxing Day. 

Veronica had shared all the details with Betty. How Archie had surprised her at home when he was not supposed to be back yet. How he had flowers in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other. How he broke the news about his music first and how next thing Veronica knew was Archie on one knee in front of her.

The two girls shared a bottle of wine and took a trip down memory lane.

"V remeber when you first walked into Pops and Archie's jaw basically hit the table when he saw you. I had to hit him because he was staring!"

Betty giggled remembering the moment fondly.

"Yeah I remeber." Veronica flipping her hair back like she did that day. "I remeber I was thinking that all I wanted from that burger shop was the ginger surprise sitting at the booth in front of me." 

They both continued back and forth with memories and laughs untill Archie came to pick Veronica up and take her back to his place.

Betty was incredibly happy for her two friends. Veronica had told her the wedding wouldn't be for awhile and the two just wanted to soak up the feeling of being a newly engaged couple and how she was excited for the planning and production that was put into a wedding.

Deep down in the pit of her stomach Betty felt a hint of disappointment. Only for the simple fact that she always thought she would be the first to tie the knot with the love of her life.

Alice Coopers words were suddenly ringing in Betty's ears.

"Betty chin up and eyes forward. Don't forget your manners and your smile. How else are you going to find a proper boy to spend your life with?"

How ironic and boring those words felt to her. She remembered picturing her wedding when she was young. The perfect boy, the perfect proposal, the perfect dress and the perfect wedding.

Sure Betty liked to keep her life organized and neat but she had learned that Love was ment to be anything but perfect. It was ment to be reckless and exciting. It was supposed to have its highs and lows. It was supposed to make her feel things she had never felt before. Her views on romance and weddings had never been the same since the last person she loved had showed her a whole new insight on those things.

He showed her such vibrant colour in a world that had been so black and white before.

Thinking about Archie and Veronica's wedding also made her wonder if he would be a part of it all. Betty had no idea if Archie was still in contact with him because it was a subject that neither of them dared to bring up. She didn't want to dwell on thinking about it because she would be up all night thinking about many different scenarios in which that would occur.

Betty closed her eyes and slowly drifted off into sleep praying for no nightmares tonight.

\------------

"Veronica you know we need to discuss the elephant in the room"

Archie was sitting across from his fiancé at the kitchen table of his apartment dreading the conversation they were about to have.

"What elephant are you referring to Archiekins. The one that crushed my best friends heart?"

Veronica raised her eyebrows at him as she had to get one shot in before cutting to the chase. She knew Jughead was his best friend and she knew it was unavoidable for him to be a part of this all but she wanted to act like it wasn't for Atleast a minute.

"You know what I'm talking about. We both know that he is going to be a part of it and I know you understand. I just don't know how we explan it to Betty"

Archie looked concerned. He always wanted to make sure everyone was okay and that was one of the many qualities Veronica had fallen in love with.

"I know. We have time to figure it out. Betty is smart Archie, she would have some idea that he would be a part of it and she would never want that to come between us and our future."

It was true. They both knew Betty understand because that's the kind of person she was. They both just didn't want to hurt Betty by putting those feelings on blast again. 

"I'm going to try to talk to Jughead. To maybe find some common ground to use to keep Betty at ease when the wedding happens."

Veronica shook her head and brought up a touchy subject between the two that usually was never brought up.

"I wish you would just tell me the whole story about why he left"

Archie took a deep breath and looked at her with sad eyes.

"You know it's not my story to tell Veronica. I don't even know if I know the whole story myself."

Veronica got off her chair and walked over and placed her self on his lap. She gave him a reassuring kiss to let him know she understood and knew it wasn't his fault.

"I just wish things could have been different." She whispered.

Archie nodded his head in agreement and they left that conversation alone for the time being.

The truth of the matter was that Archie didn't know the whole story. He knew enough that Jughead had fled to try and protect his friends.

Jughead had been intertwined with things he didn't deserve and Archie and his dad had tried to protect him the best he could. Unfortunately, when your father is the head of the biggest gang from the South Side that eventually Jughead was going to get dragged into the Serpants mess somehow. 

Archie knew that as long as F.P jones was still running the South Side that Jughead could not be around his friends. Again, he didn't know the underlying reason but he had to trust that his best friend had a very important reason for doing so.


End file.
